What do you know about president-elect Donald Trump’s tax plan? For starters, he has proposed the largest tax cuts since Ronald Reagan. If Trump were to get everything he has proposed from a Republican-controlled Congress, a taxpayer who makes between $48,000 to $83,000 a year would save about $1,000 under his plan, said Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the … Read More
Some IRS Changes for 2017
If you’re a business owner, don’t forget about the date January 31, 2017, the new due date for filing forms W-2. Under a new law, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, enacted last December, the new filing deadline for employers to submit forms W-2 to the Social Security Administration, is January 31. The new January 31 filing deadline also … Read More
Being a Parent Lowers Your Taxes
If you are a parent, you can lower your tax burden significantly. Eight different tax credits and deductions are out there that can help lower your tax burden: Dependents In most cases, a child can be claimed as a dependent in the year they were born. Be sure as a parent to state if your family size has increased … Read More
Designer Reaches Goals With CPA’s Help
Dream of A Designer Janet started her interior design business three years ago with a promising vision. The designer planned to work three days a week and help families achieve the home of their dreams by offering her creativity. As happens often with small business owners, the reality didn’t quite pan out as Janet had hoped. Instead of working three … Read More
A New Tax Notice Scam
The Internal Revenue Service is letting tax professionals and taxpayers know about a new scam involving fake CP2000 notices that are being sent to unsuspecting taxpayers, billing them for unpaid taxes related to the Affordable Care Act. The IRS is issuing the alert in conjunction with its partners in the Security Summit initiative, in which the IRS has been teaming … Read More
Tax Records: What to Throw, What to Keep
Now is a great time to clean out that growing mountain of financial papers and tax documents that clutter your home and office. Here’s what you need to keep and what you can throw out. Let’s start with your “safety zone,” the IRS statute of limitations. This limits the number of years during which the IRS can audit your tax … Read More
Deducting Your Car As a Business Expense
Whether you’re self-employed or an employee, if you use a car for business, you get the benefit of tax deductions. There are two choices for claiming deductions: Deduct the actual business-related costs of gas, oil, lubrication, repairs, tires, supplies, parking, tolls, drivers’ salaries, and depreciation. Use the standard mileage deduction in 2016 and simply multiply 54 cents by the number … Read More
Tax Status for Newlyweds
Getting married changes your tax status. Being aware of a few key things can help you avoid trouble come tax time. If you and your partner were married anytime in 2016, the IRS considers you to be married for the full year, so you both should adjust your tax withholding with your employers. A two-earner couple may end up in a … Read More
The Holy Grail of Tax Deductions
Here are three deductions which could be considered “the holy grail” of deductions. That is, they can greatly reduce your adjusted gross income. 1. Contributing to a traditional IRA One of the best ways to reward yourself now — and later — is by contributing to a traditional IRA. A traditional IRA has a maximum annual contribution limit in 2016 … Read More
The Tax-Savvy Financial Planner
If you’re looking for big picture advice that combines tax expertise with the know-how of a financial planner, a CPA might be the best bet outside of tax-preparing season? If you only meet annually during the spring, they may seem too busy to tackle bigger-picture issues. The fall can be a good time to schedule a meeting, so you still have … Read More